Adam Sandler Takes His Next Comedy Away From Sony

It’s the cinematic equivalent of taking your ball and going home. Though for Adam Sandler, after a string of successful films at Sony, he’s taking his next picture to a rival studio.

THR reports that Sandler, whose Hotel Transylvania continues to earn big bucks at the box office, will likely bring a planned Western comedy to Paramount because Sony currently finds itself “under financial straits” which are forcing the studio to “redo deals with its major producers.” That would include Sandler, who has produced and/or starred in such films as Paul Blart: Mall Cop (for Kevin James), Grown Ups (and its forthcoming sequel), Just Go With It and Jack and Jill. The trade says this in-production comedy could be Sandler’s next film after Grown Ups 2.

The report goes into detail on moves Sony is making to partner with other studios on bigger-budget films, most notably George Clooney’s WWII drama Monuments Men. It’s unclear why Sandler isn’t requesting Sony seek a partner for this comedy. The comedian has had a very profitable relationship with the studio over the years. And while That’s My Boy might have been his first high-profile financial misstep in years (heck, even Jack and Jill made an inexplicable $74M), the Sandler brand is strong. His name helped power Hotel Transylvania past the $100M mark. He earned the right to get creative with a deal at Sony.

Then again, we don’t know what happened behind the scenes on these negotiations, and Sandler has had a relationship with Paramount in the past, as well. The idea of Sandler trying a Western scares me. But providing Paramount puts up the dollars, we might see Sandler’s spin on Blazing Saddles in the coming years.